Ankle stay for shoes



June I 1926.

A.PO$NER ANKLE STAY FOR SHOES Filed March 5, 1924 iii Patented June 1, 192%,

aren't;

ABRAHAM POSNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FANKLE STAY FOR SHOES.

Application filed March 3, 1924. Serial No. 696,531.

This invention relates to improvements in ankle stays for shoes and its object is to provide a brace for the ankle which may bereadily inserted or removed from the shoe, or transferred to other shoes, thereby increasing its utility.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device from which the stiffening elements 'inay be removed for convenience in laundering, so that the device may be washed conveniently, and kept in a sanitary condition at all times.

A further object of this invention is to improve the structure set forth in the patent issued to me on the th day of February, 1896, No. 555,328, and that issued to me on theQdth day of December, 1907, 874,862,

- both of whichset forth ankle stays for shoes without the advantages above enumerated.

As a still further obgect, my invention contemplates the provision of an ankle stay wherein the transverse stiffening element is so designed as to enable the stay to be bent into proper form and soheld without the use of any form of tie for holding the device bowed.

With the above and other objects in view which will become apparent as the description proceeds the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and a1.- rangement of parts which will be fully set forth in the following specification, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1, is a longitudinal sectional view of the device showing the same in place in a shoe, 7

Figure 2, is a face view of the device, showing portions broken away to show the stiffening elements, and

Figure 3, is a vertical sectional View taken on line 33 of Figure 2. v

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10, designates a shoe of the customary construction which in the present instance is provided at its upper edge with an inwardly extending flap 11 beneath which the upper edge of the stay is inserted.

The stay above referred to is designated generically by the numeral 12, and com prises an inner and outer strip of flexible material, respectively designated by the numerals 13 and let, each of which is cut to match the other and is provided with the ll-shaped cut 15 as clearly shown in Figure 2. An extension forming the flap 16 is formed integrally with the outer strip 14 at its bottom edge, and is provided with suitable securing means 17 such as glove fasteners, so that when the flap is closed,

it will partially overlie the lower edge of the inner strip 1 3, as clearly shown in Figure 3. The top and side edges of the strips 13 and 1d are stitched together as shown, and arranged intermediate the side edges of the device are spaced parallel rows of stitching which dividethe device into a series of substantially vertical pockets. These stitches terminate at a point above the bottom edges of the strips 13 audit to provide a substantiaily horizontal pocket and it will be seen that when the flap 16 is open, access to the pockets may be readily had.

In order to properly brace the device and provide proper support for the ankle, there are provided the vertical stiffening elements 18 formed of a relatively stiff springy material such as whale bone or steel, which when the device is in use partially embrace the ankle and materially aid in keeping it straight.

In order that the device may be made to fit the contour of the heel of the shoe in which it is used, without having to resort to the use of transverse ties, a strip of a relatively flexible material 19, such as soft steel is inserted into the horizontal pocket, and it will be obvious that the device'may then be bent into such shape as desired and made to fit snugly in the back of the shoe in which it is used. It is to be understood that if so desired, a suitable rustproof non-corrod-able metal such as that commonly known as stainless steel may be substituted in lieu of the steel and whale-bone above refer ed to, but in order thatv the device may properly operate it is essential that the vertical stifieners be relatively stiff, while the horizontal stiffenermust remain comparatively flexible.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details, of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

WVhat is claimed is An ankle stay for shoes comprising a pair of strips of material sewn together along their top and side edges, a flap at the bottom edge of one of said strips of material, vertical rows of stitches arranged in spaced parallel relation extending from the top of the stay to a line in spaced relation to the bottom thereof, relatively stilt stiffeners iii-the pockets between the vertical rows of stitches, a relativel flexible stay between the lower ends of the rows of stitches and the flap, and separable fasteners 10 for holding the flap in closed position, said fasteners being located in such a position as to avoid contact and consequent irritation of the heel of the wearer.

ABRAHAM POSNER. 

